Bruce Tracy
Head Coach
Bruce Tracy graduated from Galesburg High School in 1972. where he was a member of the cross country and track programs. After high school, Tracy attended Carl Sandburg College and graduated in 1975. While a student at CSC, he participated in the cross country program and was the runner-up in the 1973 Arrowhead Conference Cross Country meet. He returned a year later to the meet and walked away with the championship. Coach Tracy lives in Rio with his wife Kay and his sons Austin and Collin. His oldest son Eric lives near Raleigh, N.C. with his wife Beth. Coach Tracy's daughter Allison Shepard lives in Glasgow, Ky. with her husband Daniel. Coach Tracy has three grandsons.

Karen Brophy
Assistant Coach
Karen Brophy is currently coaching in her second season as an assistant cross country coach for the Carl Sandburg College men’s and women’s cross country teams. Brophy competed on Sandburg's 2005 and 2006 women’s team and was part of the qualifying team in 2005 to run at nationals and qualified as an individual in 2006 for the national meet. Brophy was also a George Washington Gale Scholar. After receiving an Associate in Science degree May 2007 from Sandburg, she transferred into Knox College to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology and Sociology and graduated in June 2009. Brophy competed in cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field while at Knox College. After Knox, Brophy started graduate school at Western Illinois University to achieve a Master’s Degree in Sociology. Coach Brophy is currently finishing up her Master’s thesis and plans to graduate from WIU in December 2011 with her Master’s degree in Sociology. Brophy has run four marathons and all of which have been Boston qualifiers. Coach Brophy ran in the Boston Marathon for the first time April 2011 and set a personal best and two months later setting another personal best by about 12 minutes in the Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minn. in June 2011 with a time of 3:14:39. Coach Brophy plans on running the Boston Marathon in 2012. 

Karen’s twin sister Kelly achieved an Associate in Arts degree from Sandburg in May 2008 and recently graduated in May 2011 from Western Illinois University with a Bachelors in Sociology.  Her little sister Kacie, who is a George Washington Gale Scholar, received an Associate in Arts degree from Sandburg in the summer of 2011, and recently started her junior year at Knox College. Karen’s little sister Kourtni, [Kacie’s twin] is currently completing her studies at Sandburg. Karen and Kelly graduated from Galesburg High School in 2005 and Kourtni and Kacie graduated from Galesburg High School in 2009. Brophy’s mother Hazel is very supportive in the individual studies and interests of all four girls. Coach Brophy resides in Galesburg.

Rodney Blue
Assistant Coach
Rodney Blue is entering his first season as assistant men’s and women’s cross country coach at Carl Sandburg College. Coach Blue was previously the head cross country coach at Lombard Middle School and Churchill Junior High School, as well as an assistant track coach at Lombard and Galesburg High School. Before that, Blue was an assistant cross country and track coach at United Township High School. Coach Blue has 20 years coaching experience. He attended GHS and graduated in 1976. Upon his graduation, Blue ran for the Chargers in 1976 and 1977. Blue ran on the Pro Masters Track and Field circuit from 1994 through 1996. He graduated from Western Illinois University in 2004 and is currently pursuing his Master's Degree in Sports Management from the University of the Rockies. Coach Blue was inducted into the GHS Athletic Hall of Fame for his accomplishments in track and field in 2008. Blue resides in Galesburg with his wife Cindy. Coach Blue’s family includes: His son Jason who lives in Chicago with his wife Tracy and their daughter Reese; His daughter Jami lives in Chicago with her husband Ryan; His son Rodney Allen Blue II, resides in Olathe, Kan; His niece Marissa of Chicago; and his son Drexler of Galesburg.

Xavier Hawthorne
Student Assistant
Xavier Hawthorne is entering his first season as a student assistant for Sandburg's men's and women's cross country teams. Hawthorne graduated from Galesburg High School in 2009. At GHS, he served as a manager for the Silver Streaks basketball and football teams and was a member of the track team. Hawthorne lives in Galesburg and plans on majoring in Computer Science.